CIfA Conference FAQs

The theme and sessions for CIfA conference are based on professional archaeology, promoting standards, good practice and innovation. The conference is for anyone who wishes to know more about these topics.

Find out more about what we mean by professional archaeology.

An open call for sessions is issued in the summer ahead of the conference based on the theme we have chosen.

The proposals are then shortlisted to bring them down to the number of slots we have available in the conference timetable.

One the session topics are agreed we then issue an open call for papers.

Session organisers are responsible for selecting paper proposals which are most relevant for their session. Our guidance encourages session organisers to consider the diversity of speakers in terms of gender, ethnicity, career stage, geography, age or other underrepresented identities. We encourage diversity in the composition of our conference sessions in line with our Equal Opportunities Policy and encourage unique viewpoints, experiences, and perspectives from different disciplines.

Sessions are split into three different types:

Discussion (Traditional) - traditional paper format, with room for question and answers

Discussion (Seminar) - more open format, perhaps with one or two position papers, but with an emphasis on debate, discussion and outcomes  

Workshop - a training workshop where the organisers have identified specified learning outcomes linked to National Occupational Standards (NOS)

The fee for conference contributes towards design, overheads , IT, staff costs and providing bursaries.

For the online element of CIfA2023 it also contributes towards the cost of the bespoke online platform; for the face-to-face element this contributes towards the cost of venue hire and catering on-site.

The cost for in-person attendance also includes registation to the online days.

The conference is a very large event in the CIfA calendar and the cost of this is covered by delegates who attend rather than by all our members' subscription fees.

CIfA members are offered reduced rates compared to non-member delegates.

For online sessions, we are charging speakers a nominal admininistration fee to provide access to the Sched platform. For in-person sessions, speakers are asked to pay the day delegate rate we are charged for the venue. This also includes food and refreshments.

Both speaker fees will allow you to attend any of the sessions, workshops or socials (live or recorded) taking place on that day as well as the one you are speaking in so you can also benefit from the CPD available.

We offer a range of bursaries to support attendance at the conference. Bursary applications will be opening soon.

You can find out more about this year's bursaries at CIfA2023: bursary options.

CIfA is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, nationality, education, experience, career or speciality.

You can find out more about this and reporting inappropriate behaviour at CIfA Conference Harassment Policy.